Expander for loose-leaf note books



Nov. 9, 1948.

W. B. ROBERTS EXPANDER FOR LOOSE-LEAF NOTE BOOKS Filed June 6, 1947INVENTOR. W/W/am 5. .Roberzs Patented Nov. 9, 1948 UNITED STATES.

ATENT Fries 2,453,459 YEXPANDERIFOR-LOQSE-LEAF NOTE BOOKS William 13.Roberts, Junction :City, Kans. l

Application June a, 1947, Serial No. 753,079

6 Claims. 1

This invention'rela'tes to improvements in'loose leaf binders ornotelbookszand more particularly to an expander adapted to be includedin a loose leaf doinder to maintain theleaves ina squared and centeredposition and protect them against crumpling .andexcessive wear, and tomaintain thecoverssubstantially parallel when the binder is closed.

It is among the objects of the, invention to provide a note book orloose leaf binder: accessory, herein referred to as an expander whichmay be :engaged with the binder rings in the same manner ,as the fillerleaves, which will maintain the filler .leaveslin -a square and centeredcondition relative to the binder covers, especially when the bindercontains a quantity of paper materially less than its full capacity, toprotect thefiller leaves against wrinkling, crumpling, excessive wear:at their edges andcorners and from pulling out at the ring holes, whichwill also maintain the covers in ,a substantially parallel condition sothat'the binder will have a neat and attractive appearance and can beconveniently disposed on .a shelf or in a book case, and so that severalbinders may :be.:stacked, one upon the other, without slipping orfalling, which expander is self-adjusting to different quantities ofpaper or thicknesses of the filler in the binder, is simple inconstruction, economical to manufacture, attractive in appearance andmaterially enhances the appearance of a loose leaf binder to which it isapplied.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a considerationof the following description in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

t Figure l is aplan view of an expander illustrative of the invention,in extendedcondition.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the improved expander in ,operativelyfolded condition.

=Figure3 is anend view-of a conventional loose leaf binder illustratingthe application of the improved expander thereto.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of an expanderillustrative of the invention showing certain modifications to the formof expander illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of a fragmentary portion .of a loose leafbinder showing the application thereto of the somewhatmodified form ofexpander illustrated in Figure 4.

With continued reference to the drawings, the conventional loose "leafbinder or note book, as illustrated in'Figure 3, has a back ll) to whichis secured "a ring retaining and flocking 'device I l carrying aplurality of rings l2 which support a filler i3 and a pair of covers Ithinged to the edges of the back II] to overlie respectively thestantially parallel relationship to each other and the covers thenprotect the leaves'of the filler and hold the filler in a centered andsquared condition relative to the binder. However, when a thin 'filler,such as illustrated in Figures 31 and 5,

is used, a large amount of empty space is left between the filler andthe covers, the outer or free edges of the covers come together givingthe binder a somewhat wedge-shape and the ing openings or slots l9. Theplates it maybe individually foldedor scored,,as indicated at leaves ofthe filler lack support by the covers and are excessively worn at theiredges and corners and frequently have the ring holes torn out of them.The wedge shape of such a partly filled binder renders it difficult toarrange a number of binders on a shelf or in a book case and makes italmost impossible to stack a number of binders one upon the other as isfrequently desirable in order that they may be conveniently carried fromone place to another.

The improved expander constituting the subject matter of the presentinvention, adjustably fills in the empty space between a filler and thecovers of a loose leaf binder or note book and maintains the filler in asquared, centered condition protecting the leaves against excessive wearand damage and maintains the covers in asubstantially parallel conditionwhen the book or binder is closed so thata number offsuch bin-- ders maybe'conveniently arranged upon a shelf l or in a book case or may beeasily carried in stacked condition.

The expander comprises an elongated rectangular sheet I5 of resilientlypliable material, such as cardboard, fiber board or heavymulti-plypaper, such as conventionally used in manufacturing book or bindercovers of limited flexibility, and hold the filler in a centered andsquared ccnformed of the same material.

The sheet 15 is transversely folded medially of itsslength, asindicatedat ll, to provide a pair of similar, co-extensivelysuper-imposable inner,

plates provided adjacent to the medial transverse fold ll with aplurality of elongated ring receiv- 3 20, parallel to the transversemedial fold l1 and between the fold l1 and the ring receiving openingsl9 to provide between the united edges of the inner plate IS atransverse portion extendable over the ring connected edge of the edgeportions of the inner plates l8, as indicated at 22 in Figure 2, may bestitched to the inner plate edge portions as indicated in dotted linesin Figure 1, or may be formed integrally with the inner plate portionsand provided by reversely folding the sheet l at the outer extremitiesof the inner plates, as indicated at 23 in Figure 4. If desired, thefolded portion 23 may be cemented, stapled or stitched to render thereverse fold permanent so that the outer plate willbe superimposedrelative to the corresponding inner plate as is clearly illustrated. inFigure 2.

Adjacent the junction between each associated inner and outer plate theinner plate is provided with a pair of oppositely directed spaced apartfolds 24 parallel to the joined together edges of the associated plate.Each pair of folds 24 includes between them a sheet portion 25adjustably extendable between the associated inner and outer plates sothat the associated plates may adjustably separate to fill in the spacebetween the filler and the corresponding binder covers as is clearlyshown in Figure 3, The elongated ring openings or slots I9 in the innerplates provides sufficient freedom of relative movement between theassociated inner and outer plates to permit the portion 25 to assumevarious positions of angular adjustment between the associated platesdepending upon the thickness of the particular filler l3 and the widthof the binder back Ill.

If desired the adjusting movement of the fold included portions 25 maybe facilitated by applying to the inner plate surface of the platehaving the fold therein suitable spring elements 2'6, particularlyillustrated in Figure 4, which resiliently urge the interfold portionsto a position separating the associated inner and outer plates.

If desired, each outer plate may be provided adjacent the ring openings2| with a transverse bend 21 arranged to resilientl press the ringconnected end portion of the inner plate inwardly toward the filler, asparticularly illustrated in Figure 5, to assist in centering the ringconnected portions of the filler relative to the binder covers.

The entire device may be formed from a single piece of resilientlypliable sheet material if desired although three pieces may be usedWhere considered desirable to facilitate the assembling. The device isthus of extremely simple construction and may be manufactured bystandard paper products manufacturing methods, merely punching andfolding operations to produce the complete device.

The expander can thus be manufactured at extremely low costs and can beprovided as standard equipment with conventional loose leaf binders atlittle or no increase in the cost of the binder.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms Without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments. are, therefore, to be considered; in

requiring 4 all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scopeof the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than bythe foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaningand range of equivalency of the claims, are, therefore, intended to beembraced therein.

What is claimed is: i

1. An expander for use in a conventional loose leaf binder having a backrings carried by said back to support a filler, and a pair of covershinged to said back to respectively overlie opposite sides of saidfiller; said expander comprising a sheet of resiliently pliable materialmedially transversely folded to provide a pair of similar inner platesreceiving said filler between them and having ring receiving slotsadjacent said fold, and

a pair of outer plates each joined along one edge to the edge of acorresponding inner plate parallel to said fold and having ringreceiving holes in the free edges thereof, each inner plate havingopposite, parallel folds adjacent its junction with the correspondingouter plate to provide interplate portions operative to exert resilientpressure between the sides of said filler and said covers when saidbinder is closed.

2. An expander for use in .a conventional loose leaf binder having aback, rings carried by said back to support a filler, and a pair ofcovers hinged to said back to respectively overlie opposite sides ofsaid filler; said expander comprising a sheet of resiliently pliablematerial medially transversely folded to provide a pair of similar innerplat-es re-x ceiving said filler between them andhaving ring receivingslots adjacent said fold, and'a pair of outer plates each joined alongone edgeito the edge of a corresponding inner plate parallel to saidfold and having ring receiving holes inthe free edges thereof, eachinner plate having opposite,

parallel folds adjacent its junction with the corresponding outer plateto provide interplate portions operative to exert resilient pressurebetween the sides of said filler and said covers when said binder isclosed, said ring receiving-slots providing freedom of relative movementbetween associated plates whereby said spacer may automatically adjustitself to different filler thicknesses;

3. An expander for'use in a conventional loose leaf binder having aback, rings carried by said back to support a filler, and a pair ofcovers ing holes in the end portions thereof and a pair of substantiallyparallel, opposite folds adjacent each reverse fold providing a portionextending between each adjoining lnner and outer plate to resilientlyexpand said inner and outer plate into contact with said filler and saidcovers. 4. An expander for use in a conventional loos leaf note bookhaving a back, rings carried by said back to support a filler, and apair of covers hinged to said backto overlie said filler; said expandercomprising two inner and two outerplates of resiliently flexible sheetmaterial, said inner plates being joined together along correspondingedges in super-imposed co-exten'sive relationship andhaving ringreceiving openings therein adjacent said joints, and each outer platebeing joined to the free edge of a corresponding innerplate'andsuper-.imposable uponthe inner plate, eachv outer plate havingring receiving openings in the free edge portion thereof and one plateof each associated inner and outer plates having a pair of oppositefolds adjacent to and substantially parallel to the joints between suchassociated plates to provide .a portion bend-able between said plates toresiliently separate said plates to fill in the space between the fillerand each cover when the note book is closed.

5. An expander for use in a conventional loose leaf note book having aback, rings carried by said back to support a filler, and apair ofcovers hinged to said back to overlie said filler; said expandercomprising two inner and two outer plates of resilienlty flexible sheetmaterial, said inner plates being joined together along correspondingedges in super-imposed co-extensive relationship and having ringreceiving openings therein adjacent said joints, and each outer platebeing joined to the free edge of a corresponding inner plate andsuper-imposable upon the inner plate, each outer plate having ringreceiving openings in the free edge portion thereof and one plate ofeach associated inner and outer plates having a pair of opposite foldsadjacent to and substantially parallel to the joints between suchassociated plates to provide a portion bendable between said plates toresiliently separate said plates to fill in the space between the fillerand each cover when the note book is closed, and spring elementsoverlying at least one of each pair of opposite folds to resilientlyurge said bendable portions to plate separating position.

6. An expander for use in a conventional loose leaf note book having aback, rings carried by said back to support a filler, and a pair ofcovers hinged to said back to overlie said filler; said expandercomprising two inner and two outer plates of resiliently flexible sheetmaterial, said inner plates being joined together along correspondingedges in super-imposed co-extensive relationship and having ringreceiving openings therein adjacent said joints, and each outer platebeing joined to the free edge of a corresponding inner plate andsuper-imposable upon the inner plate, each outer plate having ringreceiving openings in the free edge portion thereof and one plate ofeach associated inner and outer plates having a pair of opposite foldsadjacent to and substantially parallel to the joints between suchassociated plates to provide a portion bendable between said plates toresiliently separate said plates to fill in the space between the fillerand each cover when the note book is closed, each inner plate having atransverse bend adjacent the ring receiving openings therein toresiliently press said inner plates into contact with the portion ofsaid filler adjacent said rings. l

WILLIAM B. ROBERTS.

No references cited.

